Sew Many Tips -January/February 2007

Project OrganizerUse page protectors and zipper
pouches to store information about your quilts. Put a page about the quilt and the quilter in the
page protector; use the zipper pouch for photos of the quilt and pieces of the fabrics used. Store
pages in a three-ring binder. If you want to show someone your project, don’t take the whole book
— just take the pages you need.Donna Zweifel, Beresford, SD

Fabric Shopper’s HelperWhen I take swatches of fabric
to the quilt shop with me, I put them in a baseball card holder. Any divided protective sheet will work,
but the baseball card holders are stronger than others. They keep the swatches flat, and I can put a note
in the pocket showing what I need to purchase. The sheet folds up easily to fit in my purse.Connie Workoff, Bethlehem, PA

Needle ProtectorWhen I am hand quilting, I keep a
large chip clip nearby. If I get called away, even for a few minutes, I place the clip over the section
where I am stitching, making sure I cover the needle so no person (or pet) will get poked. The clip
also helps me find my needle when I return.Janet Hardin, West Alexandria, OH

Mini Sewing KitA hard eyeglass case is great for storing
a mini sewing kit. Insert a felt strip to hold needles and pins. Don’t forget safety pins for little
emergencies. Add a skinny spoll of thread, a thimble, and a small pair of scissors.Linda Watson, Liberal, KS

Multitasking QuilterCutting up old
jeans for denim quilts is drudery for me. To make this job manageable, I cut for a half-hour
during “Fons & Porter’s Love of Quilting.” Before too long, I have enough for a quilt, and the
task is made easier by mulitasking with something I enjoy.Delma Atwell, Boise, ID

Cheer Up a QuilterInstead of sending
flowers to a quilting friend who is sick, give fat quarters or a gift certificate from her favorite
quilt shop.Betty Orlando, New Lenox, IL

Sweep Away WrinklesI layer my quilt on
a clean floor, taping the backing, right side down, to the floor. After layering and before pinning,
I take a clean broom and sweep the quilt! I start from the center and work my way out, sweeping from
the center toward the edges. This gets all the wrinkles out of the batting and creates static
electricity that helps keep the layers together.Kelly Whitaker, Rapid City, SD

Fabric StiffenerWhen using spray starch
to stiffen my fabric, I spray the fabric, place it in a plastic bag, and let it sit for ten minutes
to absorb the starch. When pressing, I turn my iron temperature down a little to keep from
scorching the fabric.Susan Isaacson, Tacoma, WA

Tool HolderTo help me avoid losing my
rotary cutter, seam ripper, or other tools in my sewing room, I hang a small basket on a hook
meant to hold bananas. I keep it right next to my machine so my tools are handy.Laurette May, Fort Collins, CO

Pieced BattingI just watched the TV
episode where you showed how to piece batting. You overlapped two edges, cut through both layers,
removed the smaller excess pieces, and then used a multistep stitch on your machine to sew the pieces
together. I do the same thing, but I do not use a sewing machine. Instead, I cut on a surface where I
can use my iron, and use 1″-wide strips of lightweight fusible interfacing to fuse the pieces together.
The two sides match perfectly, and it’s quick and easy!Sandy Huntress, Brockton, MA

Seam RollerUse a wallpaper seam roller to
press seams as you make a block. The roller will not strech the fabric and rolling is quicker than
ironing each piece.Jackie Lorenz, Chicago Ridge, IL

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